Victoria Falls highway rehab injects over 300 jobs

The ongoing revamp of the Bulawayo–Victoria Falls Road has already created more than 300 direct jobs for locals, while empowering women and delivering a host of community benefits, officials and contractors have revealed.

The 435-kilometre highway rehabilitation project is being carried out by eight contractors, each working on 51-kilometre sections of the key tourism and trade corridor. Beyond improving infrastructure, the project has prioritized community engagement, offering employment and implementing initiatives that benefit residents living along the route.

Speaking during a media tour organized by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, contractors highlighted the role of local labour in their operations. Syvern Construction project manager Arnold Mutungwazi said, "On this project we are employing 144 workers, 75% of whom are locals. We also have a substantial number of female employees. In addition to employment, we have constructed a detour road through the community, which will be handed over for their use after the project is completed."

Masimba Construction project manager Blessing Nhau revealed that half of their 74-member workforce comprises locals, with 25% women. "We are not just focusing on the core road works but also investing in people-centered projects," Nhau said. "So far, we have drilled two boreholes that will remain community property. Our site office will be donated for conversion into a maintenance unit for the Transport Ministry."

Fossil Contractors' head of operations Kudakwashe Maguta confirmed that 30% of their workforce are women and emphasized the company's commitment to employing locals. "We have also patched potholes in areas not yet fully rehabilitated to ease traffic flow," he said.

Tensor Systems engineer Gerald Mutume added that 20 of their 49 staff are locally sourced.

With multiple companies operating along the highway, the project is estimated to have created over 300 jobs, with downstream economic benefits for local businesses and services through wages spent within the communities.

The road upgrade is not only enhancing Zimbabwe's key tourism artery but also leaving a lasting socio-economic impact on the communities it touches.